Walnut Ward is our neonatal unit providing expert care for babies who require medical care after birth. We have 4 transitional care cots supporting babies to stay beside their mother if they need to receive treatment such as antibiotics for infections, phototherapy for jaundice or are born prematurely at 35-36 weeks gestation. We have 3 High dependency cots for babies who require breathing support and 15 special care cots for babies with a wide range of medical needs. This gives a total of 22 neonatal cots at Darent Valley Hospital for babies born over 31 weeks gestation. Some of our babies are born prematurely but many of our babies are born at term and need medical support until well enough for discharge home.
Click here for a video tour of Walnut Ward: Darent Valley Hospital Walnut ward SCU
We work within the Kent, Surrey, Sussex network transferring babies between units if they have higher or lower specialist care needs using a dedicated neonatal transport team. Walnut Ward can stabilise babies but if they require intensive care or input from specialists (for example surgeons) this will be explained to the parents every step of the way. Click here for more information on the specialist transport team and other neonatal units in our area: Neonatal transfer :: Kent and Medway - Bump, Birth and Beyond
We promote family integrated care and coproduction of policies with parents; Walnut Ward has a Bliss Baby Charter Silver Award and are working towards Unicef Baby Friendly accreditation. Our healthcare professionals include nurses, doctors, pharmacists, dieticians, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, radiologists and many more who will work alongside parents to provide the best possible individualised care to each baby and family.
Parents are always welcome to visit and care for their baby 24 hours a day and they can bring their other children at any time. Each family may choose 2 visitors (over 16) each day to come between 12.00-19.00 but they must be accompanied on the ward by a parent and may not be able to touch the baby. Please limit to a maximum of 3 people at a time in the bed space because space is limited and we aim to keep noise levels kept low. Sick babies need rest and are very vulnerable to infection so everyone who enters the ward must be feeling well, and wash their hands with soap and water on arrival. Parents with a baby admitted to Walnut Ward at Darent Valley Hospital are eligible for free hospital car parking for the duration of their baby’s stay - please see the purple drop down section below for more details.
The Neonatal Outreach Team are based on Walnut Ward and provide specialist healthcare to babies in their home, alongside offering advice and support to their families following discharge from the neonatal unit. The team work closely with the neonatal team to facilitate and prepare safe discharges for the babies and their families. The service are able to provide a wide range of support, including weight management, babies going home on oxygen, nasogastric tube feeding, home phototherapy and other complex needs. The team liaises with many specialists including paediatricians, health visitors and GPs. The service hours are 08:00 – 20:00 seven days a week, including bank holidays.
For more information on our unit and neonatal care click on our padlet: Walnut Ward, Darent Valley Hospital
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We recognise that parking at the hospital is limited and can be challenging for patients, visitors and families. We appreciate the understanding of the public as we work to manage parking spaces as fairly as possible.
Parents with a baby admitted to Walnut Ward at Darent Valley Hospital are eligible for free hospital car parking for the duration of their baby’s stay.
This support has been introduced to reduce some of the financial pressure faced by families whose babies require ongoing hospital care. Parents on neonatal units are closely involved in their baby’s care and play an important role in their wellbeing and development.
Some babies remain in hospital for several weeks or months, and national evidence shows that travel and parking costs can be a significant financial burden for families during this time. On Walnut Ward we promote Family Integrated Care, which supports parental involvement and is associated with improved outcomes for babies and families.
We remain mindful of the wider pressures on hospital parking and will continue to review arrangements to ensure they are fair and proportionate.
For information about eligibility and how to access parking support, please speak to a member of the Walnut Ward team.